The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-02-19
dir OTTAWA Jrse graaeE'
ottawa, H.. Feb. 10, 1877
Washington Events.

The distinguishing feature OF the WASH
,,,,,n news was the veto Of the general
n.nsinn bin by the President the message
ts,pg sent 10 congress On Friday last. II
MAS n long document, reviewing the his
,nrv and Effects of similar bills penslonlng
y.t.rnns of the two ~aIs for independence;
and, from the experience oi 'he treasury
after IN. passage of those bills, shows that
congress had no conceutioh q, 'he Nas'
ow'snnt of money /, would take 10 pension
the survivors ui the union army, anu tia'
Till n,vht not 10 become a law Tor that rea'
son were there no other 10 pe cohsiue'eu
Tha message shows that IN the matter ei
DAY, buun,ies. pensions 10 dependents on
soidiers killed, 10 the wounded, In proyid.
ing homes Tor the homeless union so'uier'
the armies of the north have Oeen given
such compensation as never any soldier In
ali the world from histury's dawn had ever
received; and while there Ii no objection
10 following the presidents OF pensloning
the survivors rs of the wars for indepen.
depce, vet the time for that has not ar.
rived; age has not disabled the union vet
Grams MS were the veterans OF the war oil
1912. pensiOned % to 90 years after the
close of that war, Furthermore, the Pres
ident believes that the people demand
reduction of the burdens of taxation while
this bill would add very largely To them.
IL Is certain congress Itself feels much
relieved that the President had the courage
of his convictions 10 veto the biil. IL "as
hastily and unwisely conccived,and cTuleiy
constructed, and only the pension agents
we're really tor il heart and soul for as the
President shows, the purpose OF the bill
Is inexpedien', and its provisions cannot be
carried into effect without such al amount
OF scrutiny and spying into the circum
stances, the daily life, and habits OF claim
ants rs would be odious 10 any self respect
Ing man. II Is evident, however from the
tone of the message, that the President
would have signed the bill out Of his strong
sympathy with the old soldiers If he could
possibly have done II without conserving ~
a measure indefensible and ElischieyouS Us
whole and In many OF It's parts.
On Monday Secretary Manning placed
his resignation as Secretary Of the Treas
ury in the hands of the President TO take
effect as soon as his successor shall have
been appointed and confirmed Mr. Man
ming retires 70 become president Of the
w ebvpTu vi .NV" A'ih' iuV
resi- gnation has been accepted,
The rivers and harbors senate committee
has adopted an amendment 10 the Henne
pin canal bill by Mr.. Cullom. ltprovides -
1. A survey of the Illinois and Des
PLANES rivers from La Sale TO Lake Joliet,
lust below the city of Joliet with view
% such improvement of the rivers by locks
and dams rs will afford the same facilities
for navigation above La Sale as will he
afforded from La Sale down when the
present improvements shall be completed.
2. The survey and location OF canal
from Lake Joliet TO Lake Michigan at Chi
cago or Calumet, with locks Of the same
Size as those on the Illinois river the exist
Ing Illinois and Michigan canal to be used
40 far as AS il may be advantageous toI
use II.
3. The definite location of canal from
the Illinois river at or near Hennepin, to-
the Mississippi at or above the mouth OF
the Rock river.
This IL a step toward ship canal via H.
iInois river from the Lakes to the Missis
sippi, and the report of the committee In
sists that the State of Illinois shall cede
the Illinois river Improvements to the ma.
ton. The report is more an endorsement
of ship canal scheme rather than the Hen.
nepin canal scheme. II does not recon-
mend accepting the existing canal, but 1t
does contend that the Illinois river should
be improved for slack water navigation
from La Sale 10 Joliet, and that 80 much
Of the canal north Of Joliet should be used
as may be available taking he Sag route
70 Calumet Instead OF using Chicago river.
1t is question whether any appropriation
for the Hennepin scheme will pass but 1t
L. believed that 100000 may be secured
for the above project, should the state cede
the Illinois river improvements a bill to
which effect Is now before the legislature.
The commissioner Of pensions has had
prepared lettei of instruction and blank
forms OF application and ailldavits of wit.
nssses for the use of applicants for pen
siOns under the Mexican pension law OF
Jan. Goth 1887. These blanks, he thinks,
will facilitate the business of his office and
enable applicants TO have their rights
promptly adiudicated without unnecessary
correspondence, trouble or expense, He
invites direct application TO his office by
expectant pensioners. Upon receipt OF an
individual application an appropriate letter
81 4 ,.g tNxI